This Duo's debt free journey

DebtFreeDuo

Losing my way a little over the last few days. Today I have been looking at a new phone, I hadn't seen a phone I liked for some time but today whilst out I came across the samsung S8 which is beautiful although extremely pricey!

When I bought my SE my plan was to keep this the whole way through uni, that hasn't gone to plan because of the phone dying which is the reason I am looking at switching away from apple. My plan now is to find something to last me for the next 3/4 years so I want something decent.

The S8 I have found for a total of £647 for the phone and the first months contract and then switch over to a sim only plan, for a contract the best deal I could find totals over £800! Over £1000 if I look at my current provider! So I have now looked at last years model which is also a very nice phone but will only save me around £100 which I am quite disappointed with, I thought it would have saved me more around the £200/£250 mark. I am extremely sceptical about buying a used phone because of the problems I have with my current phone that is barely 18 months old.

HairyHandofDartmoor

I hope you feel better soon.

Do you really NEED a new phone or do you just want a better one? That is a LOT of money for a new phone. DS1 got an excellent new phone for £150 not long ago which he is very pleased with and uses constantly. He pays £15 a month for 1g of data, loads of texts etc.

WannabeFree

I agree with HH

I got a note 4 over 2 years ago from a second hand phone place it cost £150 and lasted me until I washed it last month! It was brilliant. Not the latest model no but I am going to save to get the same one again as it was so good.

I used it for everything as I had no laptop, it takes brilliant photos etc.

I think spending nearly £1000 on a phone is scary

I use Giffgaff sim and hardly ever run out of data/calls etc unless I'm away on holiday.

DebtFreeDuo

I do need a phone, my current one has a broken screen, overheats when in a pocket so loses charge and switches itself off when it still has plenty of charge left. I have really been trying to hang on until after Christmas before I even think about it but today it died at 50% and I really needed it for something and couldn't use it which made me worry about if I had a real emergency.

I might go around to some second hand stores and see if I can find one, I'm just hugely sceptical about it. I would never ever spend nearly £1000 on a phone, I couldn't even spend near that on a laptop. I'm not going to make a decision on it yet, I'm really trying to get past making decisions spontaneously.

WannabeFree

I would say go with somewhere you get warranty just in case and for peace of mind. CEX or Musicmagpie etc will give 12 months I think. Also Cash converter is 12 months as I've used these for other electrical things.

I very rarely buy anything new

HairyHandofDartmoor

WannabeFree wrote: »

I would say go with somewhere you get warranty just in case and for peace of mind. CEX or Musicmagpie etc will give 12 months I think. Also Cash converter is 12 months as I've used these for other electrical things.

I very rarely buy anything new

Good advice from Wannabee.

DebtFreeDuo

Have had a quick look at the websites, the cash converter website really isn't very good but CEX are looking reasonable. I think I am going to see where I am once I have paid off my loan in January, this will give me a month to see how I get on with my new budget and give me plenty of time to decide whether I am making the right decision. I'm hoping that my current phone doesn't get any worse in this time otherwise I may have to think about it a little sooner.

DebtFreeDuo

Back to reality today, the phone is definitely off the cards for at least the next month, I am going to see where I am at at the start of January even though it died again today at over 30%. I might find a little pot where I can put any birthday and christmas money, deduct the cost of my coat and then start a little saving pot towards a new phone.

MOT today, I opted for a service and MOT which I think was a good call as I saved money on the MOT this way and it was seriously overdue a service. Total cost for service, MOT, change of brake fluid, new wiper blades and a new pipe for the back wipers £222.50. I get worried about taking my car for an MOT wondering if they are going to try and tell me that my car needs work that doesn't really need doing but I am extremely impressed with this garage. I signed up for a service plan with them which will ensure that I keep on top of taking the car in and also reassures me that my MOT is going to be done at the same time with a garage that I trust. 4 years of services (2 major, 2 minor) at 32 x £21, total cost £674. This also gives me free collection of my vehicle, free courtesy car and 10% off future work. It also gave me 10% off todays bill. Its interest free and if I change my car it will either transfer over or I will get a refund of whatever I haven't used.

DebtFreeDuo

Going through the paperwork of my service plan and I am not impressed, loaded up the prices of the service on the website of this company and it would appear that there has been a total of £54 added on to the cost. I'm not sure what this is for as I was advised that it was interest free. Can't contact them today but I will be in touch with them first thing tomorrow. I understand that companies have to make money with extra charges but if a company isn't going to be transparent with me then I won't be a happy customer. £54 is almost 10% of the balance when I could simply set up a standing order of my own to transfer the monthly amount over to and use it as and when needed. What was I saying about trust?!

DebtFreeDuo

Spoke to the garage this morning via their online chat, they phoned the guy who I dealt with yesterday who claimed he told me that there were fees involved, he definitely didn't, this has made me really disappointed, I thought I had found a garage that I could trust and I really liked the guy I dealt with yesterday until he outright lied. Have sent over an email to cancel the plan, had a missed call from the guy I dealt with yesterday but I just don't want to speak to him for him to lie to me over the phone. One thing that really ruins something for me is lies.

DS was not very well again this morning, his eyes were very puffy and he didn't want to wake up. I wasn't sure whether to send him in but I have an assignment due in very soon and he had 2 days off at the start of the week thanks to sickness so I sent him in, I'm half expecting a phone call to pick him up.

I've been feeling off for the last week or so, I don't know where my head is at the moment. Feeling like I'm completely falling off the wagon.

Last year I received an overpayment of student finance, they haven't asked for it back yet and have said they won't be asking for it back for this year at least. I haven't previously put this into my debt totals and I probably should. This makes me feeling really down as it will make my debt figure shoot up. I have the totals written down on paper and on my spreadsheet but I'm not sure if I am ready to put it on my signature yet, especially as it hasn't yet been asked for and I assume that when it is asked for then I will be able to set up a payment plan for it. I think for now at least I am going to focus on the 3 debts I have here and then over the next 12 months I will save whatever I can towards the overpayment so that if they do ask for it back then at least I will be able to give them a chunk of it upfront.

I need to have a productive day to get my mind off things today, money, personal life and uni are just really getting me down.